


Cult of Evil

by IreneClaire



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-02
Updated: 2013-02-08
Packaged: 2017-11-27 22:09:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/667028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreneClaire/pseuds/IreneClaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In retaliation for arresting dangerous cult leader Tomas Alvaro, Danny is kidnapped by the cult leader's band of followers. He's held prisoner pending Alvaro's sentencing. The plot for this story is directly inspired by Starsky and Hutch S2.14 entitled 'Blood Bath'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> The same goes for Starsky and Hutch, and its characters as created by William Blinn and produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions. Don't own the show, rights, or any of the characters. Never will any copyright infringement be intended - ever. I'm only declaring that the plot for this story is directly inspired by 1977 season 2, episode 14 entitled 'Blood Bath'.

**Chapter 1**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

He sat there in absolute silence. There was no reason to speak, but he was definitely listening; in fact, his ears were straining to hear anything besides his own harsh breathing. And not only was there an absence of sound, there was no light.

He only knew that he was sitting on a very hard metal chair in a cold, dank room. And not because he could see those things either, but only because he could feel them. And the room was small. Danny could _feel_ that too. The sound of his own breath ricocheted back almost into his face as he worked at controlling a rising panic. He had woken just a few minutes earlier slouched sloppily in the chair, coming awake with a dull moan to realize he wasn't even cuffed or tied. They didn't fear him or worry about his escape, and that in itself was alarming.

Awakening confused, alone and in the dark, shivering from the dampness and not hearing anything but his own breath and maybe an occasional drip of distant water, Danny was almost afraid to move. It was a growing fear that he couldn't quite tamp down and it was becoming worse as time stood still and nothing happened. Barely aware of anything else, Danny's muzzy brain could only wrap itself around the silent, dark cold. As another chill gripped him, he shook again uncontrollably and his teeth almost chattered. His shirt was also damp and perhaps more so on one side over the other as he vaguely realized that a warm wetness was still spreading down towards his left hip. He gently touched the area to find his shirt ripped and an obviously deep bloody crease that made him hiss as his fingers connected with the stinging gash. Unable to see, he sat there again straining to hear anything beyond the small space. Danny shifted his feet and winced again as their bruises and tiny cuts woke up across both soles and one heel. Dimly, he realized that the floor seemed to be a hard concrete as one bare foot connected with a wet oily puddle.

Hitting the cold puddle provided that final jolt that pushed some of the remaining cobwebs from his mind and he blinked furiously in the pitch blackness as he rocked himself into action.

Gingerly, he reached a hand out in front of where he sat and expecting to touch a wall, and instead found nothing. Keeping one hand on the chair, he stood slowly and nearly fell as wave after wave of weakness and nausea washed over him. His feet were sore and his head pounded in time to a much too rapid heart beat and he had to wait to regain his balance before releasing the chair determined to shuffle forward a few steps.

Hand out-stretched, his wound throbbed subtly in his side with each careful step he made until he found the wall only about five feet from where he had started. He leaned heavily into it and then limped around to the right, pacing the area to estimate he was in very small room that didn't seem to be more than ten by ten feet in size. But two things brought back a dim memory. In his circuit around the room, his hand had not connected with anything resembling a door or a window. Each of the four cold walls were made of a hard cement and much too smooth. Fearfully, Danny reached up to brush his finger tips against the ceiling which was only about a foot above his head. It was here that he finally found something that felt like a seam and further away, maybe a hinge.

The faint memory tickled his brain as he shuffled cautiously back to the middle of the space to connect with the chair. Barefoot, his feet were now completely wet and almost numb from cold due to the occasional cold puddle he'd accidentally shuffled through. Using both hands for security, he sat back down breathing hard and rubbed at his chest with a shaking hand.

A black van .. a car accident? Black hooded men and soft chanting. _Tomas_. The one name over and over again in the same sickening monotone. Two guns discharging and one he was sure, had been his own. A struggle and something being injected into his arm. And then nothing until he'd been dragged a distance through deep jungle. Pain spiking through his bleeding side and then into his bare feet as he alternated between stumbling over rough terrain and being violently pulled forward. Splintered memories of what looked like a mine shaft and of a moment where he had once again resisted and put up a fight.

Even drugged, it had taken two men to tackle him down to the ground, holding him bodily as a third once again injected him with the fast acting drug. He remembered a growled warning by one as any remaining fight oozed out of his muscles. " _You'll kill him. Tomas doesn't wish for that .. it is not his dream._ "

Seconds later, he was limp and pliable; barely aware but unable to resist as he was dragged through increasingly darker and deeper tunnels. He had sensed disturbing snippets of other people and a few small rooms lit by bare bulbs or candles. Chanting of ' _Tomas'_ , a bitter smell of old food, worse cooking and soft conversations.

But he was taken deeper into the darkness and as the light receded, weakly tried once more to escape and get away. But there had been too many and Danny had been easily felled by a rough punch to his stomach with a threat to keep moving.

" _Get him down there. Down. Tomas dreamed this._ " A rough calloused voice demanded as strong punishing hands pushed and pulled him bodily down a short wooden ladder.

Pain again coursed into his feet as they connected with splintered wood, he'd missed steps and stumbled to his knees on the wet, cold concrete floor. A memory of more pain slamming into him as his fading attempts at escape earned him a solid blow to his wounded side and then almost nothing as he warred with consciousness.

Doubled over, he was tossed into the chair gasping and confused. In the background, more chants of _Tomas_ reached his ears. And then his arms were tightly held as another darkly hooded man for a third time, plunged a needle into his vein. Muscles that suddenly and completely refused to cooperate made him sag immediately followed by a severe struggle to breathe as his body revolted from the near overdose.

" _Can't_ .. " Danny huffed as he lay sprawled in the chair and his vision dimmed. ". _. can't .. breathe._." Angry voices came and went near him but none offering help. And at one point, he felt his head pulled up by his hair while brutal fingers groped around his neck to feel his struggling cartoid pulse.

_"Too much you fool. If he dies now .. it's not of his dreams. Tomas will be angered."_

His last conscious memory as too little oxygen reached his lungs was the fading argument and of being plunged into darkness as the top hatch was dropped loudly into place. And then …nothing.

Danny had no idea of how long ago that had been or if the drugs were affecting his memory but the uncontrollable tremors were still coursing through him. His hands were like ice as his heart beat heavily through his chest wall and his ragged breaths filled the small space. The drugs were undoubtedly in his system and wreaking havoc on his respiration and blood pressure. Danny closed his eyes and hugged his arms across his chest against the coldness seeping in through his bare feet and much too thin shirt.

Dizzy and muzzy-headed, he stopped trying to hear the outside world. Images of hooded people eerily chanting to a faceless body named _Tomas_ danced in his mind and he groaned against the hazy memory as he allowed himself to sink down into his own blackness.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Grace called Steve after patiently trying her father for fifteen minutes. He was rarely late picking her up after school. And if he was going to be late, he would call her and leave a message, and in some cases, call even the principal's office so that she had somewhere safe to wait. But this time, he hadn't called anyone and now Grace was afraid because she also couldn't reach him. And as her call went directly to voicemail yet again on her fifth attempt and without ringing, Grace just knew something was wrong.

It was Friday afternoon and Monday was going to be a school holiday. Grace had a special long weekend planned with Danno; almost four full days together while her mother was away with step-Stan visiting friends in San Diego and attending a big wedding.

Grace looked worriedly out from the steps at school as the last of her friends were picked up by parents or guardians. There was no sign of her Danno and still no phone call or message from him. Sitting down on the top step, she took a deep breath and called Uncle Steve while one of the school's teaching assistants stood watch over her.

She grinned to herself when he answered his phone. " _McGarrett_." It was quick and business-like so Grace knew he hadn't looked at the caller ID.

"Uncle Steve!" At the sound of her voice, his severe tone immediately changed and Grace smiled even wider.

" _Hey Grace. Do you feel better? Danno said you were sick last night?_ " The question threw her and she frowned in confusion.

"I'm not sick Uncle Steve. I had school today and Danno was supposed to pick me up and he's not here. And he won't answer his phone. It doesn't even ring. Mommy's away and I don't know what to do now." There was silence on the other end of the phone before Steve spoke again.

" _You were at school today? All day?_ " Steve's voice was careful and guarded. " _I thought you were sick, Grace._ "

"No, I'm not sick." Grace was insistent as her eyes scanned the parking lot again. "I'm not sick and I had to go to school. Monday is a holiday, and we have a long weekend together. But he still hasn't come to pick me up."

Steve could hear the worry rising in her voice as he grabbed his keys and motioned for Chin and Kono anxiously. "Grace can you stay with a teacher? I'm coming for you now okay? Stay there and don't talk to anyone else. Just stay with the teacher or go to the principal's office and wait for me."

There was a brief ' _yes, okay'_ and he ended the call promising to see her in just a few minutes.

"What's up boss?" Kono asked as she and Chin caught up to him in the hallway.

"Get a trace on Danny's car, cell phone .. anything. He wasn't with Grace today .. she just called me looking for him. She was in school all day after he dropped her off around eight o'clock this morning." Steve was becoming desperate as he raced back to his office.

"But .. the message earlier? Danny .. he left that message .. Grace was _sick_ ...he's home with her." Kono's voice trailed off as she realized what was happening and with a newly worried face, started working on the traces. But Steve was still shaking his head _no_ as Chin groaned in helpless fury.

"Because it wasn't him." Chin said angrily. He glanced up at the television in the corner of the offices. A news commentator was on the steps of the court-house attempting to interview the cult leader's followers. But as usual, they ignored the press to continue their inane chanting.

And Chin couldn't take his eyes away from the weird televised scene as the cameraman panned the large building. The group of followers had grown from the few odd stragglers to what now seemed to number at last thirty. The rising tension was almost palpable through the screen. He narrowed his eyes as he counted the HPD officers in the background. Their presence had also grown in kind and obviously if the currently peaceful demonstration became violent.

"Steve, what if they have him?"

The question stopped Steve in his tracks and he glared first at the television and then at the cousins in an angry frustration until he realized they already knew the answer as much as he did. But his voice was still uncharacteristically harsh as he left his office.

"It's obvious that they _do_ have him and it's only a matter of time before the demands start." And that fact made Steve pause and his stomach clenched. If the cult had Danny going on nearly seven hours, then why hadn't they yet heard from them? The three stared at each other in dismay as they mentally logged the length of time and worried if it had already happened.

Kono was the first to speak and it pushed Steve back into action. "What are we going to do? What are the next steps?"

"I need to get Grace secured. You two start tracing what you can and then contact HPD and Halawa. Ensure Alvaro is still in lock down. No one sees him and he gets no access to the outside world; no one in or out. We're going to have to work backwards and from every possible angle .. we need to find Danny before it's too late." He added that last sentence because he refused to believe it was already too late. Kidnapping for no obvious intent wouldn't make sense as Tomas Alvaro's sentencing date neared. They would need a live hostage and not a dead scapegoat.

But Steve quickly mulled over the obvious long gap in time. Alvaro's followers had needed time to apprehend and then hide Danny, or they had simply been directed how to play a particular game. A game that proved Alvaro had a powerful reach even from behind bars. He immediately sensed it was the latter as he tossed his truck keys in his hand. He was sure that they'd be hearing something now that Grace's school day had ended .. because, that control of time would be a key part of the game.

As Steve left on a run, Chin was already speaking to the warden at Halawa and Kono was back to the smart table, fingers flying to call up the GPS on the Camaro. A frown etched across her face after Danny's cell phone proved untraceable.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Because of the long weekend, Tomas Alvaro's sentencing was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. And with the almost too easy plot working as planned, Danny had already been gone close to seven hours before anyone missed him. As he had guessed, Steve was right with his estimation of time manipulation. Five minutes after Grace called looking for Danno, he received another phone call from a monotone voice that uttered two simple words. A simple demand made with no promises or guarantees; no mention of the abducted detective. And yet those two words distinctly implied the dire ultimatum.

" _Release Tomas_."

So the threat was clear and it solidified their reality as Steve rushed to get Grace into protective custody. It wasn't likely that she was in danger, but she had been used in a large way as part of an eerie plan. The call had been timed to the exact minute of when school ended. To the very minute that Danny would first be missed by his daughter and the anxious phone calls would start to family or friends as a first alert to a possible problem. It proved an all too confident and well orchestrated plan. But Steve wasn't sure what he would say to the child.

He and the Five-0 team had spent months on the Alvaro case. With rock-solid evidence, they finally had arrested cult leader, Tomas Alvaro, a dangerous man accused and then found guilty of mass murder. The media was having a field day with the highly publicized events and the ever-increasing army of hippy-like, Zen followers that were chanting his name on the steps of the court-house and showing up to hold what were so far, peaceful demonstrations in the neighboring park.

But nothing was as it seemed and now Danny had been kidnapped and was more than likely being held prisoner in a secret cult compound. It was more dangerous than he cared to admit and Steve didn't know what to say when he picked up Grace because she could see by his own eyes that Danno was in serious trouble. So rather than creating an elaborate cover story or saying too much, Steve kept it simple by quietly explained that she needed to be brave and go back to the office with him. That she needed to stay with Aunt Kono until they either contacted her mother or better yet, found her father.

"Did Danno say anything to you about coming to work today? Was he planning to stop off or run any errands first?" Steve gently coaxed Grace as they drove back. And at first she only shook her head and said no, but then made a funny face as she changed her mind.

"He said he wanted to get the car washed. And maybe stop at the dry cleaners. But we were running late already and I'm not sure." He smiled as he reached over to tweak her ponytail.

"Perfect. Good job Grace, I bet that helps." It was the first time she smiled back at him. Proud that she could maybe help as she watched Steve immediately call Kono.

" _His cell phone must be turned off and I can't ping it. But I located the Camaro and Chin is already on his way to the location with HPD."_ Kono was quick as she gave him the address which was farther away and more remote than he had anticipated. He nodded with a short smile for Grace's sake, cramming down his desire to hit the lights and just floor it back to the office to drop her off where she would be safe.

"That's good news Kono. I'll have Grace to you in about two minutes and then I'll meet Chin there." Glancing to the too quiet child, Steve added his own praise again and was happy to see another brief smile. "And Grace thinks that Danno also ran a few errands before he meant to come in this morning, so that will help us out. She can tell you all about it."

To save time, Kono met them outside to take Grace protectively into her arms. The last thing Steve saw was Grace's tearful eyes as she silently begged him to find her father. But he'd almost forgotten that when he saw the Camaro. It was obvious that Danny had been forced off the road by another large vehicle based on the numerous dents in the rear and then along the driver's side door. The car had then been moved after the accident. Parked and abandoned far down a deserted dirt road .. far from prying eyes.

Steve got out of his truck stunned into silence by what he was now seeing. The outside of the windshield was covered with blood and yet cracked bullet holes could still be seen through the red gore. Congealing blood that was still attracting a swarm of dark flies as it oozed down onto the wipers to stop on the top of the hood. Chin was stealing himself and gulping back obvious nausea as he took photographs from every angle while HPD set up the crime scene.

The bloody words were scrawled and smeared but their intent was easy to read: " ** _Five-0_** "

"Max will be here any minute." Chin muttered as he walked Steve around to the open driver's side door. There was more blood smeared on the lower, left hand side back of the seat and Steve couldn't bite back his worried groan. Fighting for control, Chin's words were short and clipped as he watched Steve's face noticeably pale.

"This is how I found it. All his stuff seems to be there. The CSU will bag it for us."

On the front seat was an array of Danny's personal belongings. Shoes too neatly lined up with socks gently laid across the top. His belt curled up perfectly with his badge nested in the middle again, with what looked like a splatters of blood on the buckle. Both guns sat next to each other one holstered, and one not and arranged closer to the passenger side door. The holster for the second gun hung from the rear view mirror. Unused extra clips were on a gentle pile near the weapons. The car keys still hung from the ignition, while his wallet and cell phone were on the dashboard. The abduction was not only a show of power and control, it was a personal attack against each of them.

Steve dismally noticed that the car hadn't been washed yet, but Danny's dry cleaning hung neatly in the back seat; button-down dress shirts hanging under plastic from the hook behind the driver's side bucket seat. They swayed to themselves from the breeze coming through the open car door. He would have been abducted between the dry cleaners and car wash or even via the office route if he'd changed his mind about getting the car cleaned up.

There was absolutely no doubt that Alvaro's cult had abducted Danny. And Steve rubbed his face hard as if trying to wipe it all away until Chin softly mentioned the pending full moon that Saturday night.

"Steve. We have to find him before tomorrow night." He rudely held up his hand to cut Chin off and the man dropped his eyes and took a step back.

Steve knew and didn't need to hear it said out loud as his eyes memorized everything in and around the Camaro. Between the sentencing, the all too real threats, and the full moon which held special meaning for the cult leader, time was not on their side.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Max rushed his results without needing to be asked and called the team immediately upon double checking his conclusions. He called them as they reconvened Friday evening back at Steve's office and less than two hours after visiting the crime scene. His voice was laced with excitement and a great deal of personal pride as if he had orchestrated the best bit of news by himself.

" _The blood on the windshield is_ _ **not**_ _that of Detective Williams._ " He reported that first, with a succinct pleasure and the team audibly sighed with relief. But Chin cringed as he watched Steve's reaction to Max's all too typical diatribe.

" _It's that of Sus scrofa ..the genus is local and indicates …_ " He watched as Steve closed his eyes and hung his head in disgust at the staccato scientific verbiage coming over the speaker phone. Seconds later Steve was warning Max to cut it short and though Max might not appreciate the reality of it, Chin was marveling at the barely disguised attempts to remain calm.

"English, Max. What the hell is that? We don't have time for a long winded explanation on species …genus .. or whatever the hell it is. Just say what it is in plain English." His voice rose in aggravation without any attempt at soothing Max's ruffled feathers.

Steve shook his head sadly and caught Chin's eye as he picked up Max's new tone which came across as coldly bland and definitely injured. Another time or another day it would be comical, but certainly not at that moment. He sighed to himself when Max apologized and began to stutter, obviously back-pedaling quickly.

" _My apologies. Wild boar, Commander. They used the blood from a wild boar or feral pig to write on the windshield of the Camaro. It was relatively fresh meaning the animal or animals were not butchered that long ago. Perhaps even very early this morning. The humid nature of the day though, slowed the drying process and I can't necessarily estimate how long the blood has been on the Camaro. My best guess is somewhere between four and seven hours."_

Kono raised her eyebrows at the startling level of detail that Max could provide. But she herself groaned when he continued speaking, almost unable to stop once more as he again hit his old stride.

 _"That is a large window of time I know ...it may not be of any help at all to you. And I can't determine what implement they used ... however …it may have been a …_ " And Max stopped and snapped his mouth shut when he heard the second warning rumble across his speaker in his own office. It was obvious the team could have less than a care about what was used to _write_ the message, as long as it wasn't done in Danny's blood.

Continuing, he swallowed his prepared tutorial down before carefully sharing the one bit of bad news he'd discovered. " _Yes. Well. I have also confirmed with HPD that the Detective's handgun has been discharged. And .. well …_ "

Steve felt a glimmer of hope that Danny had put up at least some sort of fight by getting off one round and that maybe Max had something more to lead then down the right path. But his surging feelings were overshadowed by Max's next findings as he stuttered them out.

" _And .. however, the blood on the driver's side seat and the belt buckle is that of the Detective. One round was fired from a 9 millimeter and it was retrieved by the crime scene unit from the back of the seat cushion. A second round .. also 9 millimeter .. went wide and was retrieved from the passenger side door panel._ "

The team deflated significantly as they waited for the medical examiner to finish. Kono glanced to Chin as Steve closed his eyes once more and clenched his jaw against the words. " _My thought … as it is not very much … is that the wound is more minor in nature. And based upon its trajectory, perhaps just a graze and very low on his left side."_

His ending summary included the one set of finger prints found on the steering wheel and car door. Two other unique sets were taken off the weapons, extra clips and belt buckle. He explained that HPD CSU was finalizing their results for Five-0, running matches against the prints in the database. Then they would get everything over to the anxious team within the hour.

It was all greeted by silence and then a short 'thank you, Max _'_ before the conversation ended. Sighing, Max briefly sat down at his desk before getting up to once more triple check his findings and then to formalize his own mixed bag of results.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Danny lay on his side on the concrete floor, covered in a cold sweat and retched miserably as tremors continually wracked his body. He'd heard noises above his head as objects were moved away from the trap door; a sliver of light shone through and he hobbled up from the chair not only to keep himself upright, but to place a protective wall against his back. He barely heard another argument about dropping the wooden ladder down to confirm if their captive was still alive and had readied himself for a fight.

The gap had opened wider and Danny tensed even more, as he looked up at back-lit, heavily shrouded silhouettes. They had studied each other and the gap wavered to stay open just enough for what he thought was a bottle of water to be dropped down before being slammed shut again. The loud thud effectively cutting off and silencing his angry warnings about crazy psychopaths having kidnapped a cop.

"Insane asylum candidates." Danny had muttered to himself as he carefully knelt down in the dark. Feeling around for the bottle, he had opened it and sniffed it suspiciously before taking a tentative swig. Thirsty from the drugs, rising fever and the growing dehydration, Danny took the chance and then regretted it. The pains in his belly were almost immediate and he'd begun to retch uncontrollably from the laced liquid and the plastic bottle fell from his fingers to spill out over the floor.

 _Poison or more drugs_ was all be could think of as he vomited up the little he had taken in. And now he lay weakly on his side uncaring that the dank water was seeping into the rest of his body; completely unable to get to his feet or drag himself into the lone chair in the middle of the room. In fact, he'd once tried to move the chair to stand on it and force the trap door open, or drag it even into a corner to at least rest his feverish upper body against the concrete wall. But the plain ladder-back metal chair was literally drilled or fastened into the floor. He was thoroughly and completely stuck. And as time went on and he weakened further, also totally at their distinct lack of mercy.

Danny had no way of knowing that it was now Saturday morning. The drugs had kept him in an intentional stupor for more than a twenty hour period of lost time. But he could guess that his team was in the process of ripping the very island apart as they searched for him. It was that belief that kept the fear stuffed down inside him as each minute ticked by. What he couldn't begin to guess though was where he had been taken. Splintered memories of the jungle and the mouth of what looked like a dark abyss flickered in his in the recesses of his memory. Nearly twenty-four hours had passed since his abduction and a small facet of Tomas Alvaro's clan was readying for the sacrifice to be celebrated as the full moon rose. A celebration ordered by Tomas as ordained by his crazed morbid nightmares. The full moon was a tradition as Tomas required it to be.

And in the wet filth of wherever Danny was being kept, it hadn't taken long for his wounds to become infected. Combined with the drugs and now the poisonous water, feverish shudders ran through his body and he finally allowed himself to moan at the evident hopelessness of the situation. It was getting harder to keep the fear away and as he rubbed a clammy forehead on his arm, he felt his hope shift just slightly.

He began drifting as his mind refused to anchor on any one particular thought or thing. Brief images of Grace came and went, and then short snippets of people's faces but they were distorted and not quite whole. Replaced again by blurred images of the jungle and sunlight on green leaves. Danny gagged as another sharp pain rippled through his belly and his arms went around his chest reflexively. Wincing as the trap door above him opened again, he closed his eyes this time against the brighter light. Unable to rise, he flinched away from rough scraping sounds and a hard noise as the ladder was dropped down for three of Tomas' followers to haul him to his feet.

Danny forced himself to look into one shaded face with what he hoped was a defiant glare, though his legs were buckling on him and he would have collapsed into an undignified heap if not for the brutal support. And then his voice nearly failed him as he rasped out a challenge.

"What else .. you got ... or did you just .. miss me?"

Faint chants of _Tomas_ became louder as more strong hands pulled him up the short ladder. He jerked back in shock as a cool feminine hand stroked the side of his face.

"Plans have changed." Her lilting whisper was cruel and pleased as it hummed into Danny's ear. "Tomas has a new dream. You will meet his time."

With no choice and fear almost breaking free to the surface, Danny was finally dragged from the room and back through the deep tunnels towards daylight.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Though Chapter 4 ended on Saturday for Danny, this chapter will fill in what the team was doing late Friday night and into the early hours of Saturday morning.

**Chapter 5**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Due to public outcry, Tomas Alvaro's trial was rushed from the moment he'd been taken into custody. And from that point to the present time, followers of the maniacal cult leader had gathered in increasing numbers on the court-house steps. Chin was right in his estimation of the number of the cult's believers finding their way to the building by the time he'd been found guilty of six counts of murder in the first degree; and those numbers only seemed to swell more in anticipation of the sentencing date.

HPD was now an active, constant presence and on site ready to control the rising tensions. In response, the judge had announced a closed courtroom for the sentencing and access would be strictly limited to those with a particular need to know or a primary reason to be in attendance. So it was startling when Duke called Steve on Friday evening to report that the hippie-like crowd had begun to mysteriously disperse.

It was well after seven o'clock and Duke was completely confused by the odd occurrence. " _They've stopped chanting and simply begun to break up into small groups. Most are just walking away .. just down the road. A few may stay but others are trying to camp out in the park. We'll have them moved. But I don't understand this sudden change and thought you should know_."

That call from Duke came on the heels of Max's swift but very accurate report. It also came minutes before they received another monotone message that at first merely repeated the same few words demanding their leader's release. Throwing the call on speaker and gesturing wildly to Chin, Steve's head snapped up as one additional sentence was uttered after a short silence.

" _Release Tomas .. or your detective will die_."

The dire message provided some hope that Danny was still alive and they had at least some time in their search. But then the speaker was gone and Steve had to stop himself from flinging the phone clear across his office. "Nothing." He knew it was too short but he had to ask Chin anyway and then looked away as the man shook his head.

"No go. Another burner and I couldn't get it traced." Chin muttered in frustration. They were alarmingly at a loss but completely unwilling to believe they had no options. And Chin began rehashing through the paperwork strewn across the desk. " Now what?"

Steve scowled as he wracked his brain and finally made a decision as he grabbed up his car keys. "Kono." Steve nodded towards Grace who was tearfully quiet in Kono's own office. Time had passed in a blink of an eye, but for Grace it was probably a torment and Steve silently berated himself. But at least she'd been safe and that was all that truly mattered.

The office door was closed, but they could all see and watch her through the large glass window. Head bowed, Grace was sitting cross-legged on the small couch with an unread book resting in her lap. A barely touched carton of milk and cookies sat within reach but totally ignored on the edge of Kono's desk.

"She's so good. Too good." Kono whispered as she blinked back tears and started to gather her things up from Steve's office. "I'll take her out to eat and then go to my place. Put her to bed and I'll try Rachel again too, but Steve. Please."

He nodded at the unspoken plea as he and Chin got ready to leave. Regardless of the time, their next stop would be a face-to-face at Halawa Correctional with Tomas Alvaro himself.

"Keep her safe Kono. Get an escort first and watch your back." Steve breathed out. "Keep both of you safe until we bring Danny home."

"Not a problem, boss." Kono promised.

Chin ghosted a brief smile as he hugged his cousin quickly. "We'll find him." He added before turning to jog after Steve.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Tomas Alvaro was pulled out of solitary confinement per the Governor's orders at the Halawa Correctional Maximum Security Facility. Heavily guarded and shackled top to bottom, Alvaro sat casually across from Chin and Steve in an interrogation room.

Chin closely flanked Steve as the SEAL drew himself up to his full height to tower over the seated cult leader. Questioning was abrupt as Steve ground out his one demand.

"Where is he."

He glowered dangerously as Alvaro leaned back and smiled at both men before addressing Steve directly. "I dreamed your death Commander."

Alvaro's tone was almost an amused amazement but the unexpected words unraveled Steve to the core. And Chin was too slow to react as Steve launched himself around the table in a rage. Within seconds, Alvaro was wrapped in his hands and physically rattled up against the interrogation room wall.

"Steve!" Chin followed quickly, just steps behind the irate man but was too late to intervene.

"Tell us where he is!" He barely felt Chin's restraining hand on his shoulder as he slammed the criminal up against the plaster once, and then couldn't stop two more hard, jarring thumps. But he registered Chin's sharp intake of breath as Alvaro merely smiled in amusement, seemingly serene and calm against the aggression.

"This should be your death." Alvaro repeated with just a hint of delight. Steve's hold tightened on the man's neck as he continued in his bland tone.

"But I had another dream .. I dreamt you began at the end. He lives at the end until I'm either released or sentenced .. but of course, the full moon is a personal favorite. However, that too could be for nothing." Tomas hesitated and his eyes lost focus.

"Start where it stopped. Begin your search at the ending. Start where it stopped; only to begin again."

Chin felt the change in Steve through his bunched muscles as the cult leader all too calmly spouted his ridiculous words. The fury was palpable as Chin gripped Steve's shoulder in new warning. He knew there would be no further discussions, no hope of compromise or of deals being made as the SEAL's temper intensified at the riddle. Ignoring the inmate and keeping his voice steady and even, Chin tried again as Steve adjusted his menacing hold against Alvaro.

"Steve. Let's go." Chin drilled his fingers into Steve's shoulder as he silently begged him to regain control. The eyes were dark with hatred as they bore into Alvaro's much too passive face and Chin inwardly grimaced at what looked like an unavoidable problem.

"This is not the way." Chin murmured barely loud enough for the SEAL's ears. And with a final vicious elbow to the cult leader's chest that left the crazed man doubled over, Steve stalked out of the room. Chin waited long enough for the guards to secure Alvaro in their tight escort back to solitary. In his own quiet fury, he met Steve back at the Silverado where Steve was already venting his rage into the night.

"Where Chin? What did all of that just mean? Did it mean anything or did we just waste more time?" He was pacing in front of the truck, the knotted muscles in his arms and neck taught from stress. But all Chin could do was throw his hands uselessly into the air.

"I don't know, Steve. The end of what? Danny's end? Alvaro's end?" He paused and mentally chewed on his own words before looking at Steve who had briefly stopped pacing, but was bouncing on his toes. And as he said it, he knew Steve had come to the same conclusion. "Maybe that's it. Maybe it's where we arrested him – could he mean the compound? Could they be keeping Danny somewhere in the compound?"

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Scarcely two hours later, in the dark of night, Chin, Steve and a team of highly trained HPD SWAT descended upon the large compound where Tomas Alvaro had originally been apprehended. It was also where three of the six murdered victims had been found buried in shallow graves. And then, Steve was immediately on guard because it was suddenly all too easy.

Breaking through the main gates, it took less time to surround and corral Alvaro's remaining rag-tag group of followers than it did to suit up for the covert operation. Six black hooded were immediately led away in cuffs from where they'd been found kneeling in front of a make-shift alter that hosted a large photo of their psychotic leader. Three organized groups then dispersed across the property fanning out to look for Danny under every rock, behind every tree and in any dilapidated shed or building.

An hour later, Steve brought his group back to the makeshift central command in complete disgust. No one else was on the property. He was about to radio Chin for a status when the SWAT commander chimed out an alert from the south side where he and his squad had found a small rundown shed. Chin was already there when Steve and his team arrived.

Covering his nose and mouth with one hand against the rotting stench, the SWAT commander was up near the doorway motioning them forward to shine their flashlights into the building's small interior. Two other of his men were coughing disgustedly behind him.

"It stinks in here. But we found our blood source." Lights shone out to cut the darkness and illuminate the eerie swaying shapes and a few men coughed uncomfortably. The now bloodless and freshly decaying carcasses of two large dead wild boars hung from the low rafters. Steve bit back the dread he felt rising again as he studied the badly butchered animals.

"I want each one of these …" And Steve stuttered over the word as they all backed away to return to the rally point. ".. these .. _people_ … interrogated within an inch of their lives."

But on his way back around the side of the rambling main houses, another glimmer of dark metal caught his eye as he methodically waved his own flashlight back and forth through the dark jungle.

"Chin. Here." Waving Chin to him, both readied their guns as they approached a partly obscured black van. Lights swarmed from behind to light up the area as the two men pulled the large dark green tarp off the vehicle. A quick sweep confirmed that it was empty but leaning in through the back doors, Steve focused his flashlight on what appeared to be yet another trace of darkly smeared dried blood on the uncarpeted metal floor. A similar rotting odor lurked in the vehicle and Steve saw a partially covered and obviously bloody bucket that would likely hold the remnants of boars blood. He pointed to it all as he glanced worriedly to Chin.

Nodding, Chin was already making demands to secure the vehicle and take samples from the floor and seats. But higher up on the property and very well concealed, they were being closely watched. One of Alvaro's followers edged further back into the night. His hatred grew as the men below him scoured the van. And though the cult leader was supposedly in lock-down, he still received the short message whispered through the small slit in the door.

"They're closer."

Staring straight-ahead as if in a daze, Tomas Alvaro nodded. "Tell them, the dream must change .. he must meet my time." The small window into the solitary cell slid shut and Alvaro smiled.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: historically, the WW II bunker network on O'ahu is an amazing thing. It's worth reading up on and learning about the size of what is still being found there today. See the Honolulu Advertiser article dated March 26, 2002 as an example.

**Chapter 6**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Kono brought Grace back to Five-0 headquarters at nine o'clock in the morning on Saturday. Still geared up from the overnight raid, Chin and Steve were already there having been up all night questioning certain of Alvaro's followers until finally giving up on their nonsensical monotone ramblings. A white board was setup in Steve's office covered with notes and times dating back to the first murderous events. She studied it quickly realizing that Steve and Chin had charted key times from the prior murders and then attempted to overlay Danny's time of abduction against each subsequent phone call or message. It was an attempt at finding commonalities that could create a critical link - a reason or purpose that would then miraculously reveal a location. Tuesday's sentencing date was circled and in the middle of the confusing tangle of information.

Steve wearily glanced up as they arrived and hid his worried frown when he saw Danny's daughter. He relaxed slightly though when Kono explained that Rachel had already landed and would be picking up Grace within the next fifteen minutes. Holding Kono's hand, Grace's eyes were huge and bewildered as she studied their impressive tactical gear.

"Hiya Gracie. It's alright." Steve said as he gave her a gentle hug and registered the tears that were immediately on the surface. "Not yet, sweetheart. But soon." He whispered the words softly into her hair and she stayed quiet to tentatively wrap her arms around his neck.

Chin and Kono left them alone once Steve picked Grace up onto his lap. Because regardless of what Kono said or promised, she was thoroughly frightened by now.

"Nothing at all?" Kono asked as she and Chin moved into her office. He closed the door so they could speak privately.

"Not exactly, nothing. But what we have isn't good." Chin replied carefully as he kept a conscious eye towards Grace. Quickly, he ran through the brief altercation with Tomas Alvaro and then the rapid scramble to raid the large compound. Multiple sets of prints had been pulled from the black van and were still being analyzed and the van had been impounded.

Three prints in particular were direct matches to those also found in the Camaro and on Danny's belongings. But unfortunately, none of those individuals had been arrested in the raid. And so far, no other prints matched the new six followers taken into custody; nor did any seem to have prior police records. However, of those three sets of matching prints, two were hits for known felons in the national database; but all of that did little good in helping to find Danny. Chin heaved a sigh as he rubbed his face as the exhaustion and frustration mounted.

"Just before you got here, they confirmed the matches from the van to the Camaro. But we don't know where to go next. Duke says that there isn't a single one of Alvaro's people anywhere near the courthouse now." Chin pointed to the white board in Steve's office to explain what they'd been doing.

"It's clear that there's another important time or relationship that we're missing .. something that Alvaro will actually do before the full moon. Something with significance. If we get into that psycho's head, Steve thinks they could kill Danny as early as this afternoon."

Kono hissed in alarm and forced herself to lower her voice. "What do you mean? Why would that happen?"

"You know that one past murder was different. It negates the full moon theory and suggests something else. A personal link to another event important to Alvaro. That one murder of the six appeared at first to be random, but suppose it wasn't random to him? The important piece is that he was found directly guilty of doing it. The difference in time hasn't been discussed or brought up again since he clearly murdered that man. But the fact that it was different could be a clue for us in finding Danny. The date and time Max estimated for that one man's death traces back exactly one month to the day Alvaro's wife escaped the compound and requested help. In her statement, she said that she slipped out the gates very early in the morning. And Max placed the victim's time of death, exactly one month later, around dawn."

"That's just plain weird .. a stretch." Kono complained as she frowned unhappily. But Chin only shrugged and then insisted on the possibility.

"It doesn't have to make sense to _us_ , Kono. He's vindictive and _off_. He likes riddles and sending odd messages. So, just suppose it's entirely something else that we aren't aware of?"

Kono stayed quiet as she considered his ramblings and nodded while he continued. "His sentencing is scheduled for two o-clock on Tuesday. Just suppose Alvaro, in that weird head of his, focuses on that time and tries to make it more meaningful?"

Chin murmured the question and gave Kono enough time to digest the possibility. "And let's face it, each side here knows there will be no concessions so Alvaro will strive to make one final and very personal point. There's no viable reason for him to wait and it's all for a show of power. He doesn't need to keep Danny alive but he will want to send a last message."

He paused and then sat down on the edge of her desk. "We failed last night and he won. Steve and I think that the worst case scenario is today at two o'clock and we have to work off that assumption."

"We have five hours to find Danny." Kono whispered as she added up the hours in her head.

"No, we have much less than that if we want to beat him at his own game. And there's got to be something behind what he said last night. Something we aren't seeing." Chin recited Alvaro's words verbatim. And Kono became quiet as she repeated the confusing riddle to herself while typing each word directly into her computer.

"Start where it stopped. Begin your search at the ending. Start where it stopped; only to begin again."

"What do you think cuz?" Chin knew the pensive look well and he waited patiently for Kono to get where she wanted to in her files.

"I don't think he meant that **beginning**. Not the compound." Kono said distractedly as her hands flew across the keyboard. If the team had disassembled the compound from top to bottom and still had not found Danny, she was sure they were missing something from prior case history. And as she searched back into the first instances of Tomas Alvaro in Hawaii, she smiled and tapped her computer screen.

"Hold on. Let me check again to be sure .. there's something else. Here." In near obscurity, Alvaro had established a first and much smaller base on the Island more than eighteen months earlier. A location now all but forgotten and completely overshadowed by horrific murders and much more current events.

"Bingo! It's here!" Her shout of victory soon had Chin smiling in approval over her shoulder as he studied the map. It had also brought Steve over to her office with Grace still in his arms.

"What do you have?" Steve asked cautiously as he glanced over to Chin and rubbed Grace's back.

Kono looked up and then looked over his shoulder to smile more broadly as Rachel came rushing in from the lobby. "Hey Grace .. look. Your mom's here."

The puff of air was unmistakable from Chin as Steve left the office to reunite Grace with her mother. He noted that Rachel's stunned reaction to Steve's dark tactical attire nearly mimicked that of her daughter's. The seriousness of the situation was definitely not going unnoticed.

"Perfect timing." He mumbled quietly as Steve hastily got the two back on their way with the HPD officers that had escorted Rachel to the building from the airport.

Seconds later Steve strode back in, a complete bundle of nerves with arms held wide in askance. "Kono? Tell me. What do you have?"

She was on her feet by then and swinging her computer screen around to face him so he could see the map retained on file. "Bunkers. When he first setup his presence here in Hawaii .. he used part of the network of underground bunkers here on O'ahu. He squatted on privately owned property just south of this horse ranch until the owner evicted him."

Her fingers flew again as she pulled up more details on the original location. "It's familiar .. it's all but forgotten .. and it makes sense."

Historically, there were miles of known, unknown and even still classified bunkers all over the Island. More miles of batteries and bunkers that could ever hope to meet the eye already badly aged with secret echoes and terribly dank and moldy interiors. Some were rather easily accessible for the brave adventurer. Tomas Alvaro had found such a remote network and had slowly built up his following and presence until evicted by the irate private property owner.

From so many months ago, they had almost forgotten and if Steve hadn't been so dumbfounded, he would have laughed in relief as Kono sent them digital copies of the detailed map of the particular section in question. Checking her weapon, she looked at both men and made a shooing gesture with both hands.

"So, what are we waiting for .. we aren't going to get an invitation. Go!"

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

The section Alvaro had chosen over 18 months ago, could descend almost 200 feet below ground with walls that were up to 15 feet thick. With a multitude of ancient rooms and camouflaged points of entrance and egress, the remote bunker had been a formidable first home. They had only been discovered by the private property owner in search of two of his horses that had escaped their paddocks the prior night.

Shortly after, the same owner had filed reports with HPD about break-ins which focused on the thefts of various horse medicines kept locked in the barn offices. Three such thefts completely wiped his barn manager and veterinarian out of particular equine medications used for pain management, inflammation, and sedation. Unable to prove Alvaro and his people as responsible for the thefts, it only fueled his desire to evict the illegal squatters and with HPD support, he'd finally gotten them off his property.

At that time, no one had known who Tomas Alvaro was; pegged as an oddity, he left and seemed to disappear for a time. But he boldly resurfaced a few months later with his people at a much larger compound. And over the months as the compound became more impenetrable and then the murders occurred, only then did inquisitive eyes once again turn towards the strange cult-like group.

As the case grew and splintered evidence was collected that pointed his way, aerial surveillance revealed the true size of the compound and only then was his potentially devastating reach fully understood. But in a way, that first ending at the bunkers had sparked Tomas' true beginnings at the more elaborate compound where he'd gone on to bigger and more disturbing acts.

With Kono's guidance, another mission was hastily pulled together with the same forces who had gathered the previous evening. Already briefed, the skilled units assembled at a remote location near a secondary trail head leading into the large bunker.

Steve looked at his watch and agonized over the time as the HPD SWAT commander silently took his team on a westerly direction towards what could be termed the rear of the bunker system. For all their speed, it had taken valuable time to scramble and reconvene. And then the drive to the location itself had eaten up yet more of that too precious commodity. But now, Steve and his team would proceed easterly and would enter the system to retrieve Danny and push the cult's followers out towards the flanking western team. Orders after that were simple for Steve wasn't interested in taking prisoners that day.

Everyone knew that all of it up until that point had been a smoke screen. Danny was going to be killed regardless of what happened to Alvaro; regardless of full moons, televised trials or of any final sentencing. It was a final game that had the cult leader flaunting his strong power against his accusers from behind bars. And valuable time was running out as it neared one o'clock in the afternoon. The teams that assembled could feel it and they also knew that Kono Kalakaua was right. And as she reviewed the mapped network and history of the cult's growth one last time, the SWAT commander had met Steve's eye with an approving smile. The teams had assembled with a new found purpose and confidence as they took charge and then broke away into their assigned objectives. For some reason, this finally felt like the right place and everyone was eager to get moving.

Sweat was pooling down Steve's back as the sun beat through the jungle canopy. Everyone was uncomfortable but not a soul complained and he appreciated every single one of them. Within thirty minutes, HPD SWAT would be in position and they would be in the bunker system where the environment would be completely different. So clothed completely in black with night vision goggles in the hands of each member of the team, Steve checked his watch again before giving his silent order to move forward.

_"Start where it stopped. Only to begin again."_

"No." Steve snapped out under his breath as they entered the bunker. "This will not happen again."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Danny came to just as his arms were being roughly pulled overhead and he groaned as they took the dead weight of his body. Barely able to walk from the effects of the drugs, exhaustion and injured feet that nearly crippled him, Danny had rallied to break free. The attempt had earned him a sound thrashing and he'd lost consciousness staring at the distant sunlight to the outside world and to fading chants of _Tomas_. He failed at biting back the pained groan when the hooded men finally stopped hauling on the strong ropes leaving him to hang a scant few inches above the floor. Swaying gently by his bound wrists in the middle of a large room lit only by a few candles, the new strain pulled severely on his wounded side and sent stomach cramps rippling through his middle.

The chanting was deafening too. The voices were next to and virtually on top of him, surrounding him in the room while sing-songing _Tomas_ over and over in an endless hum of sound. With the flickering light from the candles, Danny could just make out shifting hooded shapes spread out around him and every soft often, the hint of pale skin.

"You're all dead." Danny coughed out through his parched mouth. "Did you think of that? Killing a cop .. you're all dead."

But his threats fell on deaf ears as the chanting intensified and a lone small figure approached him. Clad as the others in a black hooded robe, the hands were feminine and Danny immediately knew it was the woman from before. But this time, she held an impressive knife that could be a rival for Steve's own.

"You better be good with that. And no matter how good you think you are .. I already know someone much better." Danny swallowed hard as he ground out the words through a mouth that had gone bone-dry. She moved closer and came to a stop directly in front of him. With her head bowed, he still couldn't see her face clearly. Only the curve of her delicate mouth and a tiny chin that shone white in the dim light. But she quirked an odd smile at his idle threat before beginning her own soft chants of _Tomas_.

"Fantastic." Danny muttered as he pulled weakly on the ropes until worn out and drained, his head fell forward onto his chest. He forced it back up on a rubbery neck as another larger shape came forward to stand next to the woman. And when Danny saw the needle in the man's hands, his faint struggles renewed against the ropes.

"No. What .. wait .." His eyes widened as the man silently stepped forward tapping the vial and using the plunger to allow some of the liquid to drip out from the needle's tip. Finding reserves he didn't know lingered, Danny almost panicked as he began to kick against the man's body in a futile attempt to get away. Another cowled figure soon stepped forward to hold him still and he watched as the man holding the syringe hesitated for a moment. Looking briefly at Danny's straining arms, he changed course to inject Danny directly into his thigh muscle.

And as it entered his blood stream, Danny instantly knew that this drug was different. Immobilized but conscious, the figures in the room became a blackish blur of light and sound. His head bobbed on an unwilling neck as he vainly tried to fight its effects. The chanting once again intensified and as the two robed men stepped back, the woman came forward. Danny's senses were overcome by the eerie sounds as he sagged down from his bindings and mesmerized, couldn't take his eyes from the large knife that glinted in the light from the many candles.

Danny groaned as her soft hand came up again to daringly caress his face and linger on his cheek. "Please ..wait." He whispered as the knife seemed to rear backwards by itself. It was all he could see as it floated in the air; aimed directly at his heart which was now pounding crazily in his chest. Danny was helpless to move as it hesitated in space and the slim disembodied fingers tightened. But he blinked in confusion as a loud bang rang out just once. The sound not only deafened him to the chants, it caused the knife to dip and then simply evaporate.

His head sagged forward when the knife disappeared and he tuned out sound as he struggled to suck in air that was suddenly too heavy. Shapes began to blur and rush around him in a dizzying spiral. But he moaned when the big blade reappeared just a few seconds later in his dimming line of sight. Already smeared with dark blood, Danny wondered as to when he'd been stabbed almost relieved that he'd felt no pain.

Hanging limply and gasping for air, he blearily watched it move and disappear once again and had to close his eyes against the coming blow. But instead, someone wrapped strong arms around his middle and lifted him up to take the heavy pull of his body. He groaned again as the world spun dangerously fast and whatever air he'd gotten was pushed out of his lungs. And then another set of strong gloved hands enveloped his left forearm to slice through the high ropes and he tumbled bonelessly over a sturdy shoulder.

Seconds later, Danny could feel multiple sets of new hands rocking him gently down as they lay him flat on the concrete floor. His chest heaved as he vainly tried to suck in oxygen, but he could feel a new energy around him. Something that displaced the darkness and stagnant fear. And hands that this time, softly checked his too fast pulse and much too rapidly shallow attempts at breathing. Gentle hands that skirted his body purposefully but always carefully as they checked for injuries.

And as he gazed up blinking furiously in a vain attempt to clear his fading vision, he realized that the chanting had completely stopped to be replaced by sounds of reassurance. No words made it through to him though, only calming sounds and familiar voices as he tried desperately to focus.

Wheezing on the floor in the old war room, Danny lay there in a feverish daze until he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, completely uncertain if he was really seeing Chin and the darkly attired shape of Ninja Steve or if it were all just some drug-induced dream.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Steve entered the unguarded tunnel silently and cautiously with his team tightly in formation on his heels. Motioning a stop, they put on their night vision goggles and with a steadfast purpose went directly towards the sounds of distant chanting.

The tunnels ran deeply but the maps clearly showed two very large central war rooms closest to the eastern entrance. One of which, the team was sure the cult's followers had commandeered for their sacrifice as the chanting became louder. Chin and Kono easily kept up with Steve, as they swept through each room. Three SWAT members expertly taking up the rear to offer added protection.

They stopped again when he hesitated and crouched down. Indicating they should stay, Steve remained low as he eyed the hooded figure. It was a solitary man sitting on an old bench with his back to the small room's doorway. He was speaking quietly on a cell phone and Steve impatiently pulled out his knife as he waited for the short call to end. And as the man put the phone down, he entered quickly to dispatch him before moving the team forward again. One hand over mouth and chin, the second stabbing and twisting upwards under the man's shoulder-blade. Kono grimaced at the sheer lack of hesitation and noticed that Steve didn't even bother to wipe the blade before sheathing it again. Under the goggles, his face was closed off and nearly unrecognizable as he targeted their one objective.

He narrowed his eyes as he listened to the rhythmic chanting and then called for another halt as they drew close to the first of the old war rooms. The tunnels here divided allowing for a second doorway into that largest room. Tapping the far door on the map, Steve pushed Kono and the three SWAT members around to take up that position. He and Chin would wait two minutes and then take the room dead on with the hopes that Danny was in fact, being held there.

The chanting intensified for a moment and Steve glanced once towards Chin. It was close to two o'clock and the increase in the ritualistic sounds seemed to indicate that their assumptions were correct about Alvaro's final intentions. They hadn't come across any additional cult members and the volume of voices seemed to indicate that they were all in that room. It had to be for one particular reason and Chin nodded in understanding as they synchronized their watches and moved forward again.

In the shadows of the narrow hallway, Steve could just see into the old conference room. Candles illuminated the many darkly hooded figures that swayed in time to their one worded chant. With the night vision goggles, Steve counted thirteen people and clenched his jaw in determination. Inching forward silently he saw it then and his hand flew back to grab Chin's shoulder.

He could see just enough of the tattered light blue shirt and faintly struggling outline of his partner to make his heart quicken. "Danny." Steve whispered in shock as he took in the frightening scene.

"Target." Almost inaudibly, he said the one word into his tiny communications equipment. Immediately, Steve and his team heard the very pleased _'copy that'_ in their ear buds from the HPD SWAT Commander. But Chin stiffened beside him as he subtly pointed to the small cloaked figure and what appeared to be the glint of a knife. Both men glowered in anger as a small hand came up to lightly touch Danny's face and run down his cheek. And where Danny sagged more in his bindings, the anticipation in the room grew and the new change made their fingers automatically tighten on their weapons.

Steve squeezed Chin's arm as signal to ready and the two stepped forward just as Kono and the three SWAT members burst in from the opposite doorway. But Steve had eyes only for the small figure that was readying the knife for its one way plunge into Danny's chest. He needed only one shot and he took it boldly, slamming into scurrying bodies as demands and other shots rang out around him. As another larger shape made for Danny, Steve simply fired again to negate the threat. He was focused clearly on his one important goal miserably hanging in front of him as he tossed aside the goggles and yanked his knife out again.

"Danny." He didn't realize he was desperately whispering his partner's name until Chin came up behind him. Echoing Steve's own fears, Chin didn't hesitate as he wrapped his arms around Danny's middle and lifted upwards.

"Got him." Breathless himself, Chin hoisted Danny up to take the terrible strain off his arms and readied himself to support even more weight. "Cut him down. Hurry." And Steve was already grabbing for Danny's arm and easily slicing through the thick ropes.

"Danny." It was the only thing Steve could say as his stomach twisted in fear and they lowered him to the ground wincing when they heard his soft pained moans. Both feverishly hot and cold to the touch, he didn't seem to understand them or what was happening as his barely opened eyes sluggishly looked into first Chin's and then his own face. His ghostly pale skin was covered in a cold sheen of sweat and he was clearly struggling to breathe. Moments later as air whistled slowly into his lungs, Danny's eyes closed permanently and Chin bolted anxiously forward to again check for his pulse.

"His pulse is fast – too fast and thready. Drugs I think." Chin muttered as he rechecked Danny's respiration and then gently tapped his cheeks. "But Steve, he's hardly breathing. He's having some serious trouble."

Switching back to Danny's limp body, he tried to rouse him again but failed. "Danny? Can you hear me?"

One of the SWAT team members knelt down near them to break out blankets and a portable litter as Steve assembled an array of emergency medical supplies. He vaguely listened as Chin continued to try to get a response from Danny. But his soft words brought little acknowledgement and he glanced worriedly to Steve who nodded in agreement as he ran seeking hands over Danny's torso looking for injuries.

Teeth-clenched in worry and anger, Steve schooled his features and pushed down his emotions to focus on a quick triage. "Drugs ... and fever. He's burning up."

Pacing nearby, Kono was also advising the SWAT Commander that their target had been happily secured, they had pushed five towards him and to continue at will. She also requested a final sweep of the inner chambers and confirmed six dead in their section plus a lone body near their eastern entrance. Two others were alive and virtually hog-tied in a corner of the room. And he afforded her a quick favorable look at her terse commands before looking back at Chin who was growing increasingly worried over Danny's struggle to take in air.

"Definitely drugs, Chin. I'm not finding any broken bones. And Max was right about the crease. It's infected." Using his teeth to open bandages, Steve packed the sluggishly bleeding wound quickly and efficiently. Even in the dim light he could see the raw reddened edges, sickly oozing and swelling that signaled the infection and he couldn't help but hear the frighteningly ragged gasps. And then he hissed at the bruising damage done to the bare feet.

"What the hell." He growled out under his breath as he discovered the deep painful gouge in Danny's right heel. Another soft dressing found its way onto the raw wound but he paused when he heard gunfire in the background. He glanced up to catch Chin's expression as he queried the SWAT commander and they all readied again as the sounds drew closer. The reply was drawled and almost bored as he explained they were putting an end to a final cloaked twosome that had unexpectedly found weapons.

" _No worries. You're clear."_ And with that the distant noise ceased entirely and one of the SWAT members with Steve chuckled softly.

Dangerously tight with purpose, Steve put a soothing hand on Danny's heaving chest while he threw final orders out to his team. "Let's move. Get him out of here now. Kono .. take someone, go outside and contact the medics at the staging point. Have them meet us half-way on the trail for additional triage. I want them moving now and double timing it. Advise he needs oxygen and fluids. I want him out of here as quickly as possible. Arrange an emergency airlift. Get someone in here to take care of those two and leave the bodies for SWAT."

She nodded and then held out her gloved hand to show the vial and syringe which Steve quickly pocketed. "I got these off one of the crazies. He's dead but it was in his hands. I can't tell what it is .. but it will help."

With that, Kono and a SWAT member charged out of the bunkers towards daylight as the small team divided up into yet further efficient pieces. While one SWAT officer trained his weapon on the two cuffed followers, a second helped Steve and Chin gently move Danny to the litter and covered his quaking body with blankets. Silently, they worked together to get Danny out of the bunker and back down to where more help waited.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a doctor et al the usual caveats. However, the horse drugs are real and the side effects, uses and other descriptions are fairly valid. Including their mis-use on and by humans. However, I did tweak some research to fit. It's fiction folks, don't try at home just enjoy the story!

**Chapter 9**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Steve stood over Danny as he lay unconscious receiving desperately needed fluids and a strong battery of antibiotics. Cold packs were strategically placed under his arms and across his groin area as he trembled uncontrollably from the fever raging inside him. His mouth was partially open under the large oxygen mask as he heaved in the pure oxygen circulating around his face.

"Come on Danno." Steve whispered as the heat rolled off him in intense waves. Alone in the room, Steve wiped his own eyes against the sting of emotion and didn't bother blaming it on fatigue anymore. While on some level he knew that they'd find Danny, the shock of seeing him hanging so worn, battered and completely unprotected had been staggering. And then he'd had to call on his training to remain focused on the objective. Not allowing himself to do anything but systematically move from one small key task to another. Secure the target. Neutralize and stabilize. Analyze and re-analyze the situation. Respond and keep moving .. just keep moving to favorably terminate the mission as planned. But inside, Steve had fought to keep it together and now worn out himself, he didn't have the energy or desire to bury how worried he was.

"We got you back buddy. Don't give in to some lousy infection. I still need to call Gracie .. I need to tell her you're home and okay." He knew on one very big level that he was wrong to still not have made that phone call. But Steve had been putting it off on purpose. Afraid because of how they'd found Danny; _afraid_ of the raggedly harsh sounds of each strained inhale. Still very much _afraid_ of what the doctors were cautioning. But he would have to make that call very soon.

As Max had so predicted, Danny had been grazed by one bullet but that one gouge had become severely infected from the dank moldy recesses of the bunker. And the gash in the heel of his right foot had also become infected from encrusted filth, dirty water and bits of debris. Steve was only relieved that Danny had remained unconscious as the wounds were cleaned, flushed, and debrided. But it was so more than that because of the drugs, and Steve held his head as he sank down wearily in the chair next to Danny's bed.

The cocktail of drugs hadn't helped matters by suppressing his breathing and yet increasing his heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels. The constant trill of the heart monitor in the ICU attested to that, as well as the blood pressure cuff that automatically took readings every fifteen minutes. Those readings were constantly bringing in an anxious nurse or doctor to adjust one thing or another. It was an alarming juggling act as particular healing medications were dispensed into an IV port. Steve looked up now as another nurse walked in briskly to inject something into the line to settle a spike once again in Danny's tremulous blood pressure.

Two hours after rescuing Danny and getting him airlifted to the closest hospital, doctors were still fighting to stabilize his condition. And initial blood tests had come back showing high levels of ketamine in his blood stream. "What is that?" Steve had interrupted the doctor as he ran through the worst of his primary concerns.

"It's used by veterinarians and predominantly for horses as a common sedative. It can be used in people, but its definitely not a drug of choice for humans. Side effects include dizziness, nausea and hallucinations. In higher doses, it will suppress breathing and negatively affect heart rate as well as blood pressure."

Steve had been worriedly pacing the small waiting room just outside the ICU. He waved a hand in the air as he angrily told the doctor what the man already knew. "There were a couple of injection sites on his arm."

The doctor nodded sympathetically as he watched the still black-clad SEAL before carefully providing the next bit of uncomfortable information. "Yes .. yes I know. And we found another injection site on his left thigh." The news stilled Steve completely, but Kono coughed and then got up from the chair she'd been sitting in only to spin in place uselessly. Her eyes were glassy when she turned back gesturing for the doctor to continue.

Gauging the tension emanating across the tight-knit team, he nodded gently. "Besides the ketamine, we did also find xylazine in his blood work."

The annoyed frown directly aimed at the doctor caused him to raise his hand so he could explain. "It was the drug you brought to me in the vial from the bunker. And it's another drug often used again in horse care. A stronger tranquilizer causing blackouts and loss of consciousness. It depresses the central nervous system. There have been reports of people feeling like they are fading, not quite whole, a lack of coordination and drifting. I guess the best way to explain it is like an out of body experience."

Chin had grown quiet as he thought about it before offering a comment. Kono chimed in at the same time about the horses and the much earlier thefts. "These have to be the drugs stolen from the horse ranch. But this xylazine, isn't that also called a zombie drug?"

Steve groaned out loud as the doctor nodded yes, but then offered some calming words. "Yes, very good. You're correct. It's been called that but Detective Williams would need higher doses and more repeated use than the traces the blood tests are recording. The larger issue is its combination with the ketamine. Both are severely depressing his respiratory system and the only recourse we have right now is to use fluids to aggressively flush it all out. And then we'll manage any other side effects should they happen."

"Will he be okay?" Steve had asked hesitantly. "What are we talking about now in terms of recovery?" The doctor sighed and shook his head before commenting again on the overwhelming task ahead of him and his patient.

"Honestly. He's in critical condition and the next few hours will be rough for him. As I said, we're aggressively flushing his system and he needs to remain on oxygen. Though it's not easy for him, I'm encouraged that he's able to breathe on his own. If he can't do that and if his stats fall more, then we'll have to make a determination to put him on a ventilator. And to be truthful with you all, I'm very close to ordering a vent now, it's just that it brings a host of new problems for all of us to manage ... but I'll know for certain when the next test results come back."

Steve gritted his teeth at the sheer volume of problems as the doctor continued. "These drugs can stay in his system up to six hours causing a lack of coordination and an inability to move. Plus he's been through an alarming amount of stress and this infection .. his high temperature is debilitating unto itself. It offers its own set of issues for his heart to contend with. The next few hours will tell if he's able to win this battle."

After the disappointing update with the doctor, Steve had then insisted that Chin and Kono debrief with HPD and HPD SWAT Command with a promise that he'd take a break upon their return to the ICU. In the back of his mind, Steve now expected that pending altercation with his team to take place very soon. They had left the hospital around five o'clock and it was now nearing ten o'clock; nearing the time they would return to take his place. It was also getting too late for him to make that call to Rachel. But that was a poor excuse and he knew it.

In his mind, Steve needed to be at the hospital and lurking over the bed in case Danny did wake up. The doctor had also said that Danny could be awake but unable to move. Aware but frighteningly confused and stuck until the worst of the drugs' side effects wore off. They could not prescribe sedatives for obvious reasons which was one of the primary concerns about actively trying to avoid using a ventilator. So it was clear that someone Danny knew needed to be there at all times should he wake up.

But like Chin, Steve was running on fumes after not having slept since Thursday night. Stress was etched across his exhausted face and he was still fully dressed for the ultimate raid. Ignoring his own body's demands, he leaned over the bed as he wrung out a cold cloth to wipe down Danny's face, neck and chest. Deft movements avoided the oxygen mask and various leads that ran to too many monitors. In seconds the cloth had lost its cool feeling and he was back to rinsing it again to repeat the process. A nurse came in to change out the ice packs and Danny never moved as the old ones were exchanged for new.

Standing there, Steve studied him hard trying to discern if Danny might be awake and unable to communicate. But he merely lay there amongst the tubes and wires looking oddly small and frail as his lungs struggled to rise on every shattered inhale. His breath fogged the oxygen mask in short whistling pants that were totally against the rhythm of his barely rising chest.

"So keep fighting for all of us … for you .. for Gracie. But you have to fight this and not give up." Steve sat down again to rest his forehead on the side rail as yet another nurse reacted to the latest blood pressure reading. His hand went between the bars to pick up Danny's cold fingers and he shook his head at the incredible differences in his friend's body. For all of the intense heat pouring off him, Danny's hands were ice cold and he rubbed the lax fingers trying to bring life to them.

"Come on Danno, be your stubborn self." But he stopped talking as Danny's fingers twitched and then fought to curl around his own. Steve jolted to his feet again, nearly knocking over his chair and the nurse hesitated as she took another reading from the heart monitor.

"Yes. He's awake I think." She said to Steve with an encouraging smile. "Talk to him. Keep him calm. He has to stay calm." She left then, with another quick smile as she hurried out to find the attending physician.

Suddenly not knowing what to say, Steve stuttered over his words. "Danny. Hey. Try it again." The second attempt was slow, but there and Steve held his breath as Danny's fingers eventually tightened in earnest making him grin. The feeling of desperation wasn't lost on him though and Steve lowered the side rail to sit next to Danny's hip. Shivering from fever, but now too from another struggle, Steve tried to soothe and calm him as his breathing slightly quickened.

"It's okay Danny. The drugs are messing with your system. It's why you're having trouble moving. But you're going to be okay. They have to wear off and it looks like they are. We got you out, Danno. You're safe."

He rambled on in a quiet voice not sure if Danny understood the words as he held tightly clenched fingers and then one handed, tried to wipe down Danny's face and neck with the cool cloth. He was relieved when Danny's fingers tightened more and he saw the deep nervous swallow. But then the breathing quickened and another machine beeped in warning. Steve's worried face looked to the doctor who had come in and the man frowned as he dispensed something to manage Danny's erratic heart beat.

Understanding that the doctor wanted him to continue, Steve hastily turned back to talk and wipe the sweaty forehead. "Like I said, your safe now. Trust me. You're going to be fine. Danny, listen to me and try not to fight so hard. Save your strength. Everything's okay and you're not alone. You can sleep."

A few minutes later, his breathing remained quick and shallow but seemed to ease as some of the harsh rasping lessened. The fingers twitched and then loosened in his hand and Steve looked up at the doctor for something .. anything good; watching and waiting to confirm now that Danny was sleeping and beginning to make at least some progress. The doctor hesitated and then nodded reassuringly before drawing another vial of blood for testing.

"It's better. It's a very good sign."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Danny had woken as a remembered voice quietly demanded that he fight. It was reassuring and calm but he didn't understand it. Something cool was then wiped across his too hot face. Feverish and confused, he woke to a miserable state of being both hot and cold to find that he was unable to move or even open his eyes. He had become increasingly agitated and then frightened as his body refused to cooperate and he inadvertently affected his own breathing. His first thought was that he was back in his bleak cell or even dying or completely paralyzed as his eyes even refused to budge.

The reassuring voice was constant though and he hung onto it, relieved when a strong hand picked up his own and the soothing warmth spread into his chilled stubborn fingers. It gave him something to focus on as he willed his right hand to move. And when it finally did, the effort left him exhausted and spent but he hung on doggedly not listening to anything but to the soft familiar murmurs that promised safety.

Ill and exhausted, it was almost too much and Danny tightened his fingers in a silent plea for help. Steve returned the tight hold and then shifted on the bed to run the cool cloth over Danny's raging skin. But the comforting sounds faded into the background.

 _Tomas_. For a moment, the chant rattled in his memory in a rush of sound combined with swirling black shapes and Danny's broken breath caught in his throat. Panting into the oxygen mask, the memory came back two-fold as the large knife floated in the air. _Tomas_. There had been a bloody knife and then it had floated into his body. But then Steve's face came forward and he remembered the darkly worried piercing eyes. A bright fragment of memory where Steve had been bending over him. A glimmer of Chin's face over the broad shoulder and maybe a feeling of being moved. A _whump_ .. _whump_ sound like a helicopter and a dizzying sense of flight.

Grabbing again for the strong warm pressure around his hand, he finally made out a few words " .. _safe .. fine. Danny, listen to me .. Save your strength ... not alone._ "

His weary mind finally caught up and allowed him to believe it was real and he willingly put a name to the reassuring voice. " _Steve_." That bright part had really happened and as something eased in his chest to still his too rapid heart beat, Danny fell asleep.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Steve had grudgingly kept to his promise about going home once Kono returned late on Saturday night after the long joint debrief. She found him pacing the hallway tiredly as she walked into the ICU with Max. She peeked into Danny's room to see the long curtains drawn around the bed.

"What happened?" She asked worriedly.

"He's okay. Nurses are changing out his fluids, ice packs and all of his bedding." Steve explained. They were also changing Danny's hospital gown against the volumes of sweat seeping out of his body which was a complicated blessing. He was sweating profusely and losing fluids as quickly as they could replace them. However, it meant the toxic chemicals were also being shed along with the fevered infection. But Steve's surprise about seeing Max was obvious and before he could ask, Kono took over the conversation entirely with her own brand of no-nonsense attitude.

"First, I already sent Chin home and your next. Secondly, because I know you forgot .. I called Rachel much earlier today to let her know we'd found Danny. I told her what the doctor said before Chin and I got into the debrief." His eyes widened more as Kono ticked off a number of things on each finger.

"Third, I promised her that one of us would call immediately should something change .. good or bad. But Rachel's already called the hospital too and spoken to the doctor .. he's up to speed on who Rachel and Grace are .. and she's good. Grace is .. I mean." She stopped to make an amused sound as Steve's throat bobbed and his face completely morphed into one of shock and embarrassment.

"And finally, Max wanted to come over .. and help. The two of us will stay Steve, so you can get some rest." At those words, Max wandered over with a concerned glance towards Danny's room.

"Commander .. umm, Steve ... is he alright?" But Steve was speechless. Still staring at Kono in awe, all he could muster was a brief nod in the direction of the uncertain medical examiner before being able to find his voice.

"Hi Max, thanks for coming. Yeah he's a little better. He's holding his own but shouldn't be alone ... if he wakes again." They moved aside as two nurses left the room and indicated that they could now return. While they approached the bed, Steve quietly explained the side effects from the drugs and how Danny could be awake without them knowing.

"He woke briefly and could barely move, but the doc says the fluids are helping to flush out the drugs and it will be easier the next time. Plus his breathing is also improving."

"I understand. The effects of an equine substance .. on the human body .. could prove ..." Max agreed as he forced himself to remain silent about how much he really understood the many side effects. His voice trailed off as he squashed his automatic tutorial. What was conversational for him, was certainly not taken as such with others as he noticed Steve's mouth twitch. But he did dare to add again his offer to stay and sit watch.

"And yes .. I would like to stay .. and help. In any way that I can." Kono knew Steve would try to find a way to also stay the night. Without Chin, her job would have been nearly impossible but having Max was already helping sway Steve's mind. And it was working as Steve sighed wearily, took in the true concern and nodded his thanks. Of course he knew that they would call him if anything changed, but it was difficult to actually pack himself up and leave the building. He was touched that Max was there too and Kono pushed hard as she appraised him from head to toe. Still entirely in black gear, tac-vest and even armed, he was an ominous and threatening sight around the ICU area.

In the hallway, an elderly woman gave him a wide berth as he left, easing herself nervously past the team. Kono smiled as she pointed out the obvious. "Besides the fact that we can handle this ... and that you're completely wiped out, you're scaring the good neighbors too. Go home."

Before leaving, he had been pleased to learn that three of the bodies removed from the cavernous bunkers had matched the fingerprints lifted from the Camaro and from Danny's personal belongings. They were also a match against some of those taken as the black van was processed from the Friday night raid at the larger main compound. The cult followers taken into custody from both missions would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and directly on the heels of their crazed leader's sentencing.

But then there was the alarming issue of Mr. Jay Lewis, a long-time guard at Halawa. The Saturday night debrief included startling information from the CSU team assigned to processing the black van. After confirming the known matches to those who had abducted Danny, they uncovered a new surprise. Unexpectedly, CSU had lifted a set of prints from the van's dashboard and run them through the database as part of standard procedure. But they were all stunned to find a match to a Halawa prison employee. So while the teams were rescuing Danny that afternoon, Duke and a swarm of HPD officers were at Halawa with the warden arresting the guard. It didn't take much for Lewis to admit with unconcealed pride his participation with the cult leader and his other brothers.

And so Steve had gone home somewhat appeased, falling practically over his own two feet to sleep eight completely undisturbed hours still fully clothed. Waking Sunday morning, he was relieved to have not slept through any calls. In this case, no news was definitely good news. But he still couldn't help rushing rushed back to the hospital where he found Max, Chin and Kono all smiling from ear to ear. Their genuine happiness took him by surprise and he literally slowed his anxious step as he approached the ICU.

"He's better." Kono said happily as she greeted him in the hallway. "His blood tests are normal and both his blood pressure and heart rate are in acceptable ranges. And his fever .. it's high, but that's coming down now too."

Danny's temperature had peaked during the night, presenting the ICU team with the daunting task of preventing more problems from rearing their heads while the residual drugs were equally flushed out of his system. It was a tremendous balancing act and effort that kept everyone on their toes. Only in the wee hours of that Sunday morning had his blood tests finally come back with no evidence of the equine medications being present. And then shortly after that, his temperature had begun to decline degree by stubborn degree.

"He woke up once around dawn and only for a few minutes." Kono added. "He's exhausted, not really able to speak either .. but he's good. Not as confused." Daring to smile, Steve walked into the room. Still on oxygen, Danny was pale but resting almost peacefully under a mountain of blankets. The same machines were ever-present but the tense, hectic pace from the night before had significantly eased. Quietly, Steve ran his fingers over the back of the one hand peeking out from the blankets relieved to find much of the icy cold stiffness gone.

"He's been downgraded to serious, and his condition is more stable." Chin offered in a whisper. "Besides combatting the fever, Doc still wants his oxygen levels to improve so they'll keep him here in ICU for now. But the antibiotics are kicking in." Steve nodded as he realized the desperate struggle to breathe had also eased and then smiled warmly as two glassy eyes opened to stare up at him.

"Welcome home." Steve said softly. Surprisingly, he had to intercept the weak hand that attempted to remove the oxygen mask.

"Ah! Ah! What do you think you're doing?" Steve protested as he watched the half-attempt at talking and shook his head worriedly. "That needs to stay on. Strict doctor's orders Danno. Don't try to talk yet."

But Danny was insistent about trying to say something and with a disapproving frown, Steve leaned down to hear the faint words muffled as they were through the oxygen mask. It took two purposeful inhales of pure air, but the feverish blue eyes were mostly clear as the words puffed out.

"What the hell .. took you .. guys .. so damn .. long?" And while Steve's worried scowl only deepened, and Max's mouth dropped open in surprise, both Chin and Kono's faces burst into happily wider smiles.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

"I'm going." At first Steve didn't answer Danny as he weakly voiced his demand. For him, his partner simply making it safely to Sunday evening was enough reason to celebrate. But ever since the overwhelming oxygen mask had been so recently replaced with a nasal cannula, it seemed only to make talking easier.

"We'll see." He finally sighed out as Danny continued to stare at him through heavy-lidded, glassy eyes. "Danny, one day at a time okay?"

The obstinate line to his chin was there though and Steve had to bite back the soft chuckle. "Not up for discussion .. I'm going." Danny pushed again and then closed his eyes as a wave of dizzy vertigo took his breath away. When he opened his eyes, the fatigue was evident and the change made Steve chuff out a warning as he bathed Danny's much too warm face with a wet cloth.

"He didn't win and we'll see. So stop talking and get some rest." Though it was still high, Danny's temperature had finally started to come down earlier that morning. Weak and feverish, he was now insisting on being released to attend Tomas Alvaro's sentencing which was firmly on the docket for that coming Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock.

The final indignant and very slurred response was just loud enough to hear as Danny's body made the decision for him. His eyelids fought and fluttered twice until they slid shut into what Steve prayed would be a dreamless sleep. Because though his blood tests and vitals were now normal, there was a new problem to face as disturbing feverish dreams disrupted his rest.

"M'going. Make it hap'n, Stevn."

"Yes, Sir." Steve muttered in his best formal Naval commander voice as Danny's eyes closed. But his mouth quirked up in a half-grin, as Kono snorted happily from where she sat on the opposite side of the bed.

"Maybe he should go. It would serve Alvaro right to see him there."

"Not helping." Steve warned her with a brief smile as he rinsed the cloth and laid it gently across Danny's forehead. "It's almost two full days from now anyway. One day at a time is enough to contend with; plus he's not out of the woods and he may not even be able to walk yet."

At 101.5, his temperature was still high and causing his body to tremble from the ongoing fight to combat the infection. Fluids and antibiotics were being pushed into his ravaged body; while the bandages on his side and injured foot were being changed twice daily. And as the team had been cautioned, his temperature could go back up as easily as down if they didn't remain vigilant.

And then there were the dreams. At first only restless, he'd become agitated as the dreams became steadily more frequent and intense. He would wake in a sweat-soaked, fearful rush that had his heart monitor chiming once again. Confused, it would take many minutes for Steve, Chin or Kono to try and gently calm him down and then many more minute to get Danny back to the present.

And the last dream had been the worst one so far, leaving the entire team on edge. Sitting quietly near the bed, Kono had gotten up as before to soothe the beginnings of a restless sleep. But Steve had come in just as Danny began to mutter the toneless _Tomas_ in a fevered daze over and over again. Shocked by the word, Kono lay her cool slim fingers over his cheek but things had escalated and in his half-waking state, Danny had struck out weakly to catch Kono in the arm.

His startled gasps of _'no, don't ..touch me.._ ' had brought tears to Kono's eyes and she'd backed away for Steve to grab Danny's hands so he wouldn't hurt himself or pull out the IV lines. The brief struggle was frightening and Danny had finally woken with his fingers wrapped around Steve's wrists. His glazed and confused eyes met Steve's frantically worried ones and he'd finally understood the demanding whispers that it was over and that he was safe. That last time, it had taken much longer to fully waken Danny and get him calmed back down enough to understand that the shrouded woman with the knife wasn't there.

Steve rubbed his face as he thought about the terrible nightmare and shook his head sadly as he studied Danny's face which was lined with fatigue. But for the moment, he was sleeping quietly and Steve relaxed to sag backwards into his chair. Unconsciously, he rubbed his fingers over his own eyes that were once burning holes into his skull.

"He's still so sick. And he's not getting much rest." Steve said quietly as he worriedly watched Danny's brow furrow suddenly in his sleep. A few minutes later, he was mumbling again and tossing his head as another feverish dream took over what had started out so peacefully.

"Damn it." Steve groused out as he got up from the chair with a heartsick expression.

"Danny, it's okay." Kono murmured as she hesitated for just a moment before taking over to wipe Danny's face and neck with the cool cloth. And then reconsidered her earlier flippant remark as she studied his sweaty stress-lined face.

"You're right. He doesn't need to go."

"We'll see." Steve sighed as he got up to leave the room and then turned once, staring down at Danny's tormented face and sweat-soaked hospital gown. He watched as Kono's soft words finally seemed to briefly calm the worst of Danny's agitation and then made a decision.

"We'll see. I'm taking short a walk. I'll be right back."

Kono watched him leave with a curious expression and then went back to soothing Danny's restless feverish ramblings. If something was up, she'd hear about it eventually.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Steve made three phone calls from the cafeteria before personally visiting Danny's doctor. "He doesn't know." He had silently made the statement to himself as Danny voiced his first demands about going to the sentencing. It was something that Steve hadn't realized until that very moment. And then Duke confirmed what Steve suspected; and for the first time in many days, he found himself smiling.

" _No, Alvaro likely has no idea. I don't think he has a clue about Danny."_ Duke said as he described Jay Lewis' arrest at Halawa.

" _We got there before Noon and just as Lewis was due to get off shift. So we simply walked in, read him his rights and took him into custody. He wasn't scheduled to work today and he had no chance to talk to Alvaro. The warden swore that his best men were managing him now until the sentencing and we double checked their background history just in case. Jay Lewis was the only wild card. No one in or out, Steve. Same for Lewis_."

He grinned and nearly laughed out loud at the idea that was now forming in his brain. "Thanks Duke .. great work .. thank you. I might need your help with something later."

The next call was to Governor Denning. Apologizing for calling on a Sunday evening, Steve gave him an update on Danny's status and then described his friend's request. "If the doctor agrees .. if he does improve enough .. I'd like to find a way to get him there. I'm asking for your help in making it happen. It doesn't have to be much, but the judge will need to be in on it."

The two spoke for a few additional minutes and Steve ended the call, satisfied that Denning would assist where he could. His next call was the hardest and he was prepared to take his time with Rachel, but she already was making her own plans.

" _I called and spoke to his doctor earlier_." Rachel explained. " _It sounds like we can come by tomorrow. I'll call again in the morning to be sure, but Grace especially .. and I .. we definitely need to see Danny."_

Steve rubbed his face with relief. "That's perfect .. thank you Rachel. I'm sorry this happened .. I'm sorry .." But she interrupted him quickly and he could only listen once again in surprise.

 _"You found him."_ Then there was a brief silence and then Rachel hastily continued. _"Thank you for taking care of Grace. I already thanked Kono ... but it's not nearly enough. She, I mean you all really did a lot for Grace. But Kono .. she thought of so much .. and Grace was very upset but she felt safe."_

He heard the tears in Rachel's voice and had to clear his throat uncomfortably before ending the call. "She's a good kid, Rachel. Any one of us would do anything to keep her happy and safe. We'll see you both tomorrow." And with that, what he thought would be the most difficult call to make was over and Steve was on his way back upstairs.

However, as it turned out, the presiding physician was Steve's largest obstacle. "I understand. I really do. But I can't predict how he'll be on Tuesday. He's very weak and we've only just gotten his vitals back in normal ranges. Plus his temperature hasn't budged in hours now. You need to know that the risks for set-back might be astronomical .. are those risks truly going to be that worth it to him .. or to you .. just so he can look a maniac in the face for five minutes?"

Steve nodded before insisting that they find a way. "Yeah. I do and if he can, I think he needs to go. I would like to try and get him there."

The doctor absorbed Steve's steady and determined gaze for a few minutes before throwing his own words back at him. "We'll see, Commander. Let's wait and then .. we'll just have to see."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

"They're here." Kono whispered as she came back into the room. "Grace and Rachel .. they're here." It was Monday morning and Steve took a deep breath as he nodded. As the doctor had warned him, Danny was improving but very slowly and his fever had stubbornly remained at just above 101 degrees since the prior evening. Fitful dreams continually disturbed his recovery and Danny was exhausted by an ongoing series of much too short cat naps. After another episode of waking in a rising terror, he'd only just fallen asleep again.

Steve turned to whisper the warning to Grace as she came around the corner. With a quick smile she stayed silent as she held her hand out to Steve which he happily took up in his own. "He's just tired Grace and has a fever, but he's going to be okay."

"I know." She replied softly as she stared at Danny's face and then smiled even bigger as his eyes slowly opened. "Danno!"

And it was clear that he hadn't exactly anticipated seeing her, because for a moment Danny was stunned into silence before he held his hands out to her and glanced happily up at Steve.

"Monkey! When .. Steve.. when did they get here?"

"Just now .. she and Rachel got here about two seconds ago. You haven't missed anything." Steve chose to ignore the exhaustion in Danny's eyes. With a big grin, he helped Grace onto the bed. "You two have some catching up to do. But don't over-do it okay?" He then backed away for the two to greet each other before deciding to meet with Rachel outside in the hallway.

"You can't hurt me Grace, so come on over here and give me a hug." Danny whispered when she stayed kneeling down where Steve had placed her on the bed. But as soon as he held his arms out again, Grace burst into tears before collapsing into his hug.

Her sobbing went on for minutes and Danny had to wave both Rachel and Steve out of the room. And then he could barely understand the hiccupped words. "I was so scared." Grace finally got the whole sentence out as she lay across his chest. "I didn't know what to do and I was so scared."

He wanted to say _me too_ , but instead he gently argued with her. "That's not what I heard from Aunt Kono and Uncle Chin." Danny said softly as he rubbed circles on her back.

"Or Uncle Steve for that matter. In fact, I heard you did exactly what you were supposed to do ... everyone is saying how absolutely wonderfully brave you've been. But they're only saying what I already knew."

She was still shaking her head _no_ and he grinned into her hair. "As a matter of fact, I heard you were brilliant with remembering the car wash and the dry cleaners. Those were important clues." As she quieted, Grace hiccupped some more into his chest as she listened to his rumbling voice in her ear.

"And, I heard that you slept over Aunt Kono's house after eating out together. So, why don't you tell me about that?"

Biting back his own tears when she didn't answer, Danny tiredly closed his eyes as he stroked her hair. "I know you were scared Grace .. but you did good. Better than good and you are very very brave."

"I missed you Danno." She still couldn't stop the few sniffles as she calmed down, but his own voice was just as gruff. "I missed you too, Monkey."

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Steve never told Danny that he'd made arrangements with virtually every person between the hospital to HPD to the Governor and then on to the judge in his own chambers. It was better off keeping it all quiet until the doctor gave his seal of approval. Which he did reluctantly early on Tuesday morning.

"His temperature is still elevated .. but his side and the wound on his foot are healing nicely. He's over the worst of it but you need to bring him back as soon as possible. I don't like his oxygen saturation levels and he's weak. This is going to sap whatever energy he's slowly been building back up."

And then it was up to Steve and in a grand fashion, he excused himself from the hospital room around Noon to run an errand which actually meant meeting Chin downstairs who was bringing a complete change of clothes for Danny. "Bring my truck around. We'll be down in a few minutes."

Danny looked at him quizzically when he returned with a wheelchair and an overnight bag.

"Moving in?" He asked dismally as he picked absent-mindedly at the bedding. Danny hadn't asked about going again since it was clear that each doctor's report wouldn't allow him to be released until his temperature was under control. And as of that morning, it was still elevated and continued care was deemed necessary.

So he'd only become more sullen during the morning hours as the time for Alvaro's sentencing approached. Still on a complete course of IV antibiotics and fluids, he'd only hung his legs over the side of the bed once that very morning. He had inched down to use the bed as a brace, balancing on his left foot to keep pressure off the bandaged right heel. And bruised feet aside, that brief change had been daunting and he'd been absolutely disgusted by his body's weaknesses.

But now, Steve was simply unable to hide his grin. "Nope. You still up for a friendly visit to the court-house?"

Without looking up, Danny frowned and threw his hand up in the air. "Maybe .. sure .. of course. But I can't be released until I kick this fever."

"No, you can't be released. And I bet that you'd be barely able to walk." Steve agreed quietly, as he began to dump out the contents of the bag on the bed. And the clothes were nice. More of like what he might wear to work and Danny finally looked up in total confusion as a pair of nice slacks and a choice of three button-down shirts were arranged across his lap.

"Not _released_ .. but you asked and arrangements have been made." With a satisfied face, Steve opened his arms wide. "You my friend, have been cleared for a short field trip. What do you say? Would you like to give it a go or have you changed your mind?" A nurse entered to remove the IV lines and leads to various machines as Danny looked in surprise from the clothes on the bed to Steve's foolishly grinning face.

"You're not kidding? Danny blurted out as the nurse helped him slowly swing his legs back over the side of the bed.

And Steve was shaking his head happily. "Not kidding, but there are stipulations which I will explain to you on the way. Chin's waiting downstairs, so let's go."

It took some time to get changed and then ready to leave the hospital. His doctor insisted on a final check of his vitals and then lobbied warnings at the team about his patient's care. And Danny would never admit to already feeling tired by the activity. He would not miss this opportunity to face Alvaro and he silently vowed that he'd power through it. Plus his team too, was determined to get him there for the short time period where Tomas Alvaro would enter the courtroom.

And it worked beautifully down to the very second when the cult leader was led in at exactly two o'clock for his sentencing. As he was escorted in through the side door, he saw each member of the team standing side by side in the long bench behind the prosecutor's desk. His cold, arrogant eyes fell first on Steve, then Chin but stopped completely when they got to Danny. After that, he barely noticed Kono Kalakaua to the man's right or the fact that Danny might have been standing just a bit cocked to the left to keep pressure off his right heel. Possibly just a bit rocked into Chin Ho Kelly's shoulder for subtle physical support or that his hands clenched the back of the bench in front to remain sturdy and upright. There was also no way he could see the small portable oxygen tank stowed under Kono's feet .. one of the conditions that Danny's doctor insisted they take along.

Because when Tomas Alvaro's eyes settled on the detective, they widened in shock and he noticeably faltered. Seemingly unable to move as his feet grew roots into the floor, the guards had to physically prod him forward to take his place by his attorney. And then he stumbled twice just getting there.

They all sat as the judge instructed and then each member of the team had to force themselves to not look at Danny. However, Alvaro was doing just that undoubtedly confused and angered to see the detective so very much alive. Danny glowered back with complete disdain until the man actually swallowed hard and then turned away. There would be additional charges to contend with that would be piled on top of and then extend his life sentencing.

But Danny was beginning to struggle. Unable to wear shoes, he was wearing soft hospital issue slippers under the benches and beginning to tremble slightly from stress and fever. Kono had the best angle and could see the dots of sweat beginning to bead up on his forehead. Where no one could see, she slid her fingers into his hand to offer him an anchor which he gladly accepted.

As the judge began to address the cult leader and recap the court's guilty decisions to each vile crime, they all looked up as the main door opened to the court room and Duke Lukela strode down the aisle. Without a glance in either direction, he apologized profusely to the judge and handed a sealed legal-sized white envelope to the bailiff. But as he passed the team to leave, he offered Steve a quick sly wink.

With a dramatic sigh, the judge glared at Duke's departing back as he angrily called for a short halt to the proceedings to read the private note. His growl was convincing though and it drew Alvaro's attention away from the Five-0 team. He made a show of rereading it and of becoming angry at whatever penned words he saw before stuffing it back into its envelope.

"Five minute recess. Governor's orders." With a hard look at Alvaro, he motioned to the guards. "I don't want this piece of _refuse_ lounging around in my courtroom without my presence. Get him out of here for five minutes."

With another angry look, the judge addressed Steve directly and as if his life depended upon it. Steve quickly stood up to show the judge his due respect as he took the verbal lashing for his team. "You. Commander McGarrett. Take your team ... report to the Governor's office immediately. I'll be discussing this interruption with him now."

His quickly replied _'yes sir, your Honor'_ was just as formal and he remained standing as the guards removed the unsuspecting cult leader back to the inner waiting room. He waited too as the judge stalked off the daïs and retreated into his chambers. And when the solid doors closed, Danny began to softly chuckle as he slid wearily down to slouch heavily into Chin. Steve beamed down at his team as he clapped his hands together once in victory.

"That .. was perfect. We owe quite a few people." Chin remarked with a laugh as he helped Danny stay upright and then frowned up at Steve. Glancing at Danny's sweaty face, Steve, silently pointed down to the floor for the oxygen tank while Chin kept the conversation light.

"But you know .. I think Duke actually enjoyed himself. What was really in the envelope?" Chin asked.

Steve looked away and then started to laugh. "One of Kamekona's shrimp truck flyers. It's all I had handy."

"Oh dear god." Danny murmured before starting to chuckle again with a tired wheeze. The effort was taking a lot out of him, but the whole situation was becoming more and more funny. It was clear that he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"You gave the judge a _menu_? I think we owe everyone for this."

"It's all I had in the truck, Danny!" Steve exclaimed in mock self-defense with his hands held wide as everyone started to laugh even more. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Awesome, boss. Just awesome." Kono grinned as she bent down and handed the small tank to Steve. As Danny sank lower into Chin's side, he draped the small cannula over his face and turned on the tank. Standing quickly, Kono then left to get the wheelchair from where it had been hidden in the back of the room out of sight. "I'll be right back."

Worried by the slight wheeze at the end of Danny's short exhales, Steve frowned as he moved to the bench just in front of where he sat. They only had a few minutes to get out of the court room but Danny was obviously worn down by the brief outing. Chin was virtually holding him by that point and making a face about Danny's apparent level of fatigue.

"You okay, Danny? We have to get moving." Steve asked as he checked the time and then helped Kono position the wheelchair. "We only have a few minutes."

"M'fine. Just a bit tired. But thank you." Danny muttered with a relieved sigh though his eyes were closing against the fevered chills and combined dull aches from his healing injuries. His oxygen stats were still low and he was glad now for the doctor's insistent intervention as he breathed in the pure air. But then even with his eyes closed, Danny was still smiling.

"Kamekona's lunch menu." He shook his head as he kept chuckling. "Thank you so much. That was well worth it."

Steve couldn't help smirking as he and Chin carefully got Danny back into the wheelchair for the quick return to the hospital. But heat was rising through the nicely tailored blue shirt Danny had chosen for the occasion and Steve was now anxious to get him out to the truck. However he couldn't help agreeing as Chin jogged ahead with the keys. Seeing the look on Tomas Alvaro's face had been priceless and Danny was exhausted, but a genuine smile still brightened his features. With everyone's combined help, everything had come together with a seamless perfection.

"That it was Danno. That it was. But let's get you back now before you fall over; I'd rather not explain that to your doctor. We can thank everyone else later."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

"You sure he's okay?" Steve asked the doctor for the thousandth time. Danny had begun to tremble in earnest from the stress of the short sojourn as soon as they'd gotten him back to the truck. His energy had waned considerably and instead of using the wheelchair, Kono had dashed in for a gurney so he could lay flat. Steve had ignored his annoyed murmurings of being fine as a chilled sweat poured off his body in torrents.

"Humor us Danno." Steve had muttered as they'd helped him out of the truck and then virtually picked him up bodily for the gurney. Covering him with a light sheet, he began to doubt the decision as Danny's eyes slid shut while they moved rapidly back into the hospital.

"M'fine, just resting. Stop worrying." Danny puffed out as they hurriedly got him back inside. "Just tired."

But Steve had been worried and then almost angry with himself as Danny grew more quiet and the doctor appeared magically in the hallway to grumble about his patient's blood pressure.

Only Chin heard the anxiously whispered words as Steve backed up to give a nurse more room. "Danno, don't you dare make me sorry that I did this."

So now an hour later, Steve was in the doctor's face again asking yet the same question as he double-checked the various monitors and IV fluids Danny was once more hooked up to. And it didn't matter that the machines were humming along quietly with a normal sounding frequency or that Danny seemed to be sleeping very peacefully. Steve simply lurked by the foot of the bed while Chin and Kono hovered nearby.

"So? He's really .. just resting?" Steve repeated.

Heaving a tolerant sigh, the doctor nodded and then shrugged off-handedly. "Yes, yes he's fine. I had warned you this would take a lot out of him. But he's fine and sleeping. His vitals spiked when you got him back. But they're already back to normal. In fact, his temperature is down a half degree, so our course of action hasn't changed. But yes, Commander he is truly fine."

The doctor hesitated and then smiled at the team. "For everything that you all just did .. at least tell me .. was it what it needed to be?" His answer was clear as broad smiles spread across three different faces.

"Good." With a warm pat on Steve's back, the doctor left the team alone with a few parting words. "Very good. He's going to sleep for a long while. You should all take a well-deserved break too."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

A few hours later, Kono peered over the top of her magazine and finally had to stay something. "You know. That's just disturbing."

She was speaking to Steve who was sitting on the opposite side of the bed merely staring at Danny while he slept. And not just staring, but leaning forward anxiously with his chin perched on tented fingers while his elbows rested on his ever-jiggling knees. It was the kind of staring that was just plain weird.

"Just. Stop." She glared at him when he looked up but it finally shook him out of the trance. "He's sleeping. Been sleeping for more than four hours now. He's not going anywhere and his temperature's dropped even more."

Kono was very quiet as she whispered the words for fear of waking their sleeping friend. But having Steve continually stare at Danny for the bulk of that time had become almost creepy. And it was bothering her while she tried to read her magazine.

"He hasn't moved." Steve's low voice was barely audible, but Kono clearly heard him in the small room.

"He's exhausted. The doctor said he'd sleep for a while." And her tone was now laced with exasperation as Steve's eyes went back up to study Danny's face.

"Stop staring at him, boss!"

" No." And Steve raised his finger for emphasis. "No. I mean he hasn't _moved_." Kono rolled her eyes dramatically as if that was supposed to mean something and then shrugged helplessly.

"He's sleeping, Steve. _Sleeping_! But you're staring so loud, you're going to wake him up!" Annoyed, she shifted in her chair and softly rustled her magazine in an attempt to ignore him. But then Kono finally got it and her eyebrows raised in understanding as she looked up quickly in surprise.

"Oh. Oh! That kind of _move_." She whispered back as she leaned forward to study the gentle rise and fall of Danny's chest. She eventually wound up looking at the calm, serene face that was finally free from stress and then she smiled.

"You're right. He hasn't moved." She said happily, as she met Steve's eyes over the bed. Her smile grew wider as she added the point Steve hadn't actually voiced. "He's sleeping ... and he's not dreaming."

Smugly, Steve leaned back in his chair and relaxed with a breathy, content sigh. "Now .. it was worth it."

_**~ END ~** _


End file.
